FRONTLINES
HOSPITAL’S NEW MED SCHOOL
Hospital Records recently launched a new sleeves are collectable, and I want each 12” to that we wanted to take a lot of time to get right.
sub-label, suitably titled Med School. The first 12” be a little nugget of genius standing out on its We’ve got Icicle from Holland lined-up for Med
is ‘Black Flag’ / ‘Double Dragon’ from newcomer own, but also when you put them all together, School 004 [released January 2007], again the
SPY (pictured), and it’s a lot more techy and you get this body of material that really works. In sound is completely fresh and out there, but we
experimental than Hospital’s usual output. terms of the sound, it’s got more of a dark edge were like okay, that’s Med School.”
to it, and more of techy edge. It’s not something
Knowledge caught up with Tom at Hospital to find you can easily put your finger on, in the same Rather than developing a roster of label artists,
out what the new imprint is all about. “Having way as when Hospital first came around; liquid this label is all about the individual 12”s. “We’d
discovered SPY and his music was one of the funk didn’t exist then, and people couldn’t stick never go oh I want to have a tune by X producer
things that concreted the idea of this whole new a name on it. I hope people are going to hear it or Y producer, it’s more like a tune comes in, and
label in our minds, because it’s so different from and go that’s a Med School tune in the same way it’s a Med School tune. The label has been Tony’s
Hospital, but has got the same level of quality,” that people hear a Full Cycle tune, or a Hospital baby really; he started A&Ring this so early in
he told us. “The music is something that you tune or Metalheadz tune, the labels with real the year getting all these tunes in. We’ve gone
can’t quite put your finger on, but is right for us sound identities.” from having maybe 30 tunes on his hard drive,
to release, just not on Hospital. The only way to which all could have gone in, to getting the first
make this work was with a new label. The second release was ‘Black & White’ / ‘Tell Me three releases out. It’s not a case of finding a
What You Want’ by CLS, with Fracture & Neptune dream team of producers; it’s really the tunes that
“We looked at what had worked with Hospital, stepping up for the third with ‘Ventura’ / ‘Sagrada come first. Also, it’s not like we’re planning to do
not only from the music point of view, but also Familia’. “The music policy is something we’re a Med School album next year, or Med School
with the label identity,” he continued. “You know, finding out as we go along,” Tom revealed. “As club night, it’s just going to be collectable 12”s
getting the packaging right and all that, as the you can hear, the first three releases are quite all the way.”
whole point with Med School is that we wanted different, but it’s beginning to get its own sort of
it to be collectable. The artwork is spot on, the shape and own sound, and that was something For more info visit: www.medschoolmusic.com
VIRTUAL STYLE BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE UPDATE
55DSL
Artificial Intelligence are near to completing their worldwide tour, and featuring legendary vocalist Robert Owens (VRECSUK014), which is due
are now stepping up their studio work. Recent releases include a remix out in November. “Robert Owens was always someone we really wanted
for New Zealand dub group Fat Freddy’s Drop, a new single with Robert to work with, but this wasn’t planned. We had a basic vibe running in
Clothing brand 55DSL have announced a new and exciting collaboration with software
Owens, and there’s news of a new album plus another record label the studio, which needed that extra element to bring it to the next level.
company Electronic Arts. EA approached 55DSL to bring its unique style and tone to
coming in the future. We decided that it would be perfect for Roberts Owens, as it has that old
their upcoming release, ‘Need For Speed Carbon’, and give game characters a style
emotional Detroit feel, so we played it to him and it all sparked off from
that was fashionable, but still close to the game’s street culture roots.
Frontlines caught up with Glenn to find out more. ”We have just finished there. We are definitely looking to do more work with him in the future.”
a worldwide tour for the ‘Big Picture’ mix CD released on Liquid V. The
‘Need for Speed Carbon’ immerses you into the world’s most adrenaline fuelled form
tour included America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and parts of Artificial Intelligence also have the second 12” on their own label
of street racing. In the game, you and your crew must race in an all-out war for the
Europe and the UK, plus we go to Japan next month,” Glenn explained. Widescreen scheduled for release at the end of the year. “We are aiming
city, risking everything to take over your rival’s neighbourhoods one block at a time.
“Somewhere in between all of that, we were able to complete the Fat to make Widescreen more of a collectors label, so that’s why it has been
The game itself will feature a number of items from 55DSL’s autumn/winter collection
Freddy’s Drop remix and then pack the mixing desk off for a long overdue quite a wait for the second release. The A-side features the long awaited
along with some items designed exclusively for prominent Need for Speed characters,
service... so musically we’ve been sort of out of action, but now that is deep sci-fi sounding ‘Bloodlines’ and we completely flipped the script on
which will also be made available as part of a pre-order campaign in some countries.
all about to change as we are back in business and cracking on with the I-side ‘Malarone Dreams’, which is more of a musical journey.”
the next batch.”
The collaboration goes even further with the creation of an international contest to
Further ahead, the duo have plans to establish a second imprint, and are
be hosted online by 55DSL, offering people the chance to win items from the game
Their next release comes in the shape of a remix of the aforementioned also starting work on an album for V Recordings. “We are in the process
and a secret “Black Box” produced by 55DSL containing, among other things, a pair
Fat Freddy’s Drop single ‘Cay’s Crays’. “It’s a nice dubby roller with a of setting up another label, as there are so many talented new producers
of sunglasses designed for Need for Speed, which will only be available in stores for
great vocal, and we just gave it our A.I. twist and made it fit into the d&b around us that we are particularly trying to push and have been a large
a limited time.
format, trying to steer away from anything too cheesy,” he told us. “We influence in our sets,” Glenn revealed. “With regards to the album, it is
have had a great response not just from the d&b circle, but from others still very early stages but we already have many ideas and have been
For more info visit: www.ea.com
like Jazzanova, Giles Peterson, Bobby Friction, etc.” brainstorming how to develop the concept. The project will feature many
collaborations with other producers, MCs and vocalists.” Watch this space
Following that will be their next single for V Recordings, a 12” featuring a for more details!
DJ Marky & Bungle remix of ‘Movin On’ and new track ‘The Power Within’
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